Compression assembly for soap plodder

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION RELATES TO A COMPRESSION ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A SOAP PLODER INCLUDING ROTATING MEANS IN SA HOUSING FOR LEVIGATING AND HOMOGENIZING A MASS OF SOAP, THE ROTATING MEANS INCLUDING A SHANK HAVING FLIGHTS AND END FLIGHT MEANS DISPOSED THEREON, SAID COMPRESSION ASSEMBLY BEING LOCATED ADJACENT THE END FLIGHT MEANS FOR PERMITTING UNIFORM PLASTICIZING OF THE SOAP. THE COMPRESSION ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A FIRST COMPRESSION PLATE MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF BORES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH FOR PARTIALLY PLASTICIZING THE SOAP, PERFORATE MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT THE FIRST COMPRESSION PLATE MEANS AND CLOSELY SPACED THERETO FOR FORCING THE PARTIALLY PLASTICIZED SOAP THERETHROUGH, AND SECOND COMPRESSION PLATE MEANS HAVING ELONGATED SLOTS THEREIN AND LOCATED ADJACENT AND CLOSELY SPACED TO THE PERFORATE MEANS FOR PREVENTING BLOCKAGE OF THE PERFORATE MEANS BY ACCUMULATED SOAP DURING PROCESSING OF THE SOAP UNDER PRESSURE FROM SAID ROTATING MEANS.

ffw

, I 52 U H C. F. FISCHER COMPRESSION ASSEMBLY FOR SOAP PLODDER Filed Nov. 29, 1968 June 15, 1971 3,584,355 COMPRESSION ASSEMBLY FOR SOAP PLODDER Charles Frederick Fischer, Jersey City, NJ. assignor to Colgate-Palmolive Company, New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 780,030 Int. Cl. Clld 13/18 US. Cl. 25--8 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a compression assembly for use in a soap plodder including rotating means in a housing for levigating and homogenizing a mass of soap, the rotating means including a shank having flights and end flight means disposed thereon, said compression assembly being located adjacent the end flight means for permitting uniform plasticizing of the soap. The compression assembly comprises a first compression plate means having a plurality of bores extending therethrough for partially plasticizing the soap, perforate means located adjacent the first compression plate means and closely spaced thereto for forcing the partially plasticized soap therethrough, and second compression plate means having elongated slots therein and located adjacent and closely spaced to the perforate means for preventing blockage of the perforate means by accumulated soap during processing of the soap under pressure from said rotating means.

This invention relates to a compression assembly for use in an apparatus for processing soap and more particularly, to the replacement of a conventional soap plodder compression assembly by a compression assembly which increases the efiiciency of transporting soap through the plodder.

The plodding of soap is a well known manufacturing process and generally includes subjecting soap to a series of extrusion or plastication operations. Soapis fed to a continuous screw or worm revolving within a closed cylinder where it undergoes levigation and homogenization. If a conventional screw or worm is used, for example, an eccentric shank worm having an extended smear fin at the discharge end, the soap is then forced through a standard compression assembly including a shredder or grinder wheel, a screen or perforated plate, and finally through a standard compression plate which converts the mass of soap into filaments or fine ribbons. These filaments of soap are sliced by a knife rotating with the screw or worm and then drop by gravity into a vacuum chamber enclosing a second extrusion device for compressing and compacting the mass of soap.

In high pressure plodders for processing both universal medium duty soap and heavy duty detergents, the conventional screw or worm is advantageously replaced by a screw or worm with the extended fin on the discharge end removed by machining. By dispensing with the shredder wheel, the modified screw or Worm can be positioned within to /8" of the screen. This screw or worm is called a through-bore screw or worm, respectively, because of the added length of the shank necessary to bring the end face of the worm or screw within of the screen. After the soap passes through the screen, it is forced through a conventional compression plate which is closely spaced to the screen and which contains a multitude of cylindrically or conically shaped bores extending between its faces. Heretofore, this compression plate permitted maximum speed in transporting the partially processed soap from the screen to a rotating cut-01f knife adjacent the compression plate before the mass of soap is subjected to the subsequent processing by another extrusion operation.

ted States Patent The screen used in the standard or modified soap plodders, hereinbefore described, is one which permits heavy duty applications, the mesh size being typically one which gives the screen approximately a 40% open area. In both embodiments, the screen is subjected to blockage due to the fact that the soap being processed backs up behind the screen under the pressure of the load when the screen is under compression against the drilled of the compression plate required to back up the screen under load. Although this condition is not critical in processing soap, it is important to obtain the maximum open area of the screen when processing hard working soap products.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a compression assembly for use in soap plodders which will substantially increase the speed at which the soap can be processed thereby over that which 'was previously attainable.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a compression assembly for use in soap plodders, which assembly will prevent blockage of the screen by the mass of soap being processed therein.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of an apparatus for plodding heavy duty soap products, particularly detergents, therein, which apparatus will permit the heavy duty product to be processed at a substantially greater rate than heretofore attainable as well as prevent blockage of the compression assembly screen by the mass of soap.

It has been found that the replacement of the compression assemblies of both the standard and modified soap plodders by the compression assembly of this invention accomplishes all of the objects specified hereinabove. In particular, the compression assembly of this invention comprises the use of a slotted back up plate adjacent a heavy duty mesh screen on the discharge end of the plodder in order to increase the area of screen which soap can pass through, therefore causing a concomitant decrease in the back up pressure of the soap in the apparatus. A standard heavy duty compression plate is placed adjacent the other side of the screen for breaking down the resistance of the extruded soap product. This three unit compression assembly comprising the standard compression plate, the screen and the slotted back up plate can be mounted in the standard soap plodder between the shredder wheel and cut-off knife or in the modified soap plodder before the cut-off knife. Advantageously the use of the compression assembly of this invention renders both the standard and modified soap plodders more efficient by producing extreme shear on the product in a short shear cycle which has the equivalent effect of at least three consecutive extrusion operations.

Still further objects and features of the invention reside in the provision of a compression assembly for use in a soap plodding apparatus which assembly may be installed in the soap plodding apparatus at a low cost, which assembly pasticizes the soap product so that the distribution of particle sizes of soap processed thereby is uniform and which assembly permits the processing of soap product at a rate of speed heretofore not attained by soap plodding apparatuses.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of this invention, which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this compression assembly, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged exploded view taken in perspective of the compression plate assembly to be used in a soap plodder constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the manner in which the compression plate assembly of the invention is mounted on a universal medium and heavy duty soap plodder;

FIG. 3 is a vertical view taken in section of the compression assembly looking along the plane of line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical view taken in section of the compression assembly mounted about the axis of rotation of the cut-oif knife in the top barrel of a soap plodder, in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing, particularly with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the compression assembly for use in a soap plodder of the pres ent invention. The compression assembly consists of a standard heavy duty compression plate 12, perforate means 14, and a back up plate 16, each having the same diameter. Compression plate 12 has a plurality of tubular or tapered bores 18 extending therethrough and a large central bore 20. Bores 18 are evenly spaced about compression plate 12 in a circular pattern concentric with the center of plate 12. Perforate means 14 include a thick metal rim 22 and a heavy duty mesh screen 24- rigidly mounted therein with a large central bore 26 disposed about its center. Back up plate 16 contains elongated and substantially rectangular shaped slots 28 extending between its face 29 and a face, not seen, evenly spaced about large central bore 30. When the compression plate 12, perforate means 14, and back up plate 16 are assembled for use, the compression assembly 10 is mounted in the plodder by inserting the shaft end 32 of the plodder worm or screw shank through bores 20, 26, and 30, respectively. Then, the compression assembly 10 is rigidly aflixed to the plodder housing so that there exists a small gap or space between the compression plate 12 and perforate means 14, approximately in the range of 0.062" to 0.250, and another gap between perforate means 14 and back up plate of about the same size.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a mass of soap is fed into an opening 34 from a hopper or chute 36 onto a through-bore worm 38 rotating within housing 40 about drive shaft 42 which is driven by means, not shown. The worm, generally designated as 38, carries the soap forward, subjecting it to a compression and shearing action which results in levigation and homogenization of the mass of soap. The soap is forced first through the tubular bores 18 in compression plate 12, through mesh screen 24, and finally through elongated slots 28 in back up plate 16. Behind back up plate 16 is a cut-off knife 44 which rotates with worm 38 around shaft 42. The compression assembly 16 is in a fixed position with respect to worm 38. These several successive mechanical operations serve to form loose pellets of partially processed soap spaghettis which pass into chamber 46 before being subjected to additional processing operations.

The through-bore worm 38 includes an eccentric shank 4 8 and rounded Worm flights 51 having a graduated flight pitch. The through-bore" worm 38 may be manufactured by machining off the end fin of a standard plodder Worm to the diameter of the worm so that the end flight 52 of throughboer worm 38 is in abutting and wiping contact with the entire surface of compression plate 12.

In operation, as soap is carried forward by Worm 38, the combined actions of the worm 38 and the compression plate 12 will break down the resistance of the soap prodnot and plasticize it. Compression plate 12 is responsible for a moderately large shearing action upon the soap due to the relatively large diameter of the bores 18. Compression plate 12 receives the maximum thrust load of the through-bore Worm. The particular mesh wire used for heavy duty mesh screen 24 will depend upon the type of product being processed and the temperature at which it is being processed. Thus for example, at a temperature of 180, the mesh size will be approximately 160, at 150 it will be about 130, and at it will be about 100. The screen receives the minimum thrust load of the preplasticized product because the slots 28 in back up plate 16 increase the area of the screen through which the soap product can pass without meeting resistance to a value on the order of 75% of the cross-sectional area of the screen. The open area of the screen can be further increased by beveling the edges of the slot Webs to a flat. Furthermore, the fact that the screen 24 is rigidly supported by metal rim 22 and back up plate 16 and that the screen 24 is not in contact with any of the moving parts of the plodder tend to increase the life of the screen. Back up plate 16 serves the single purpose of supporting the screen 24. Since this plate 16 does not receive the maximum thrust exerted against it, as does the compression plate 12, it can be designed to have a lower bending moment than compression plate 12 which allows for a larger portion of it to be open or cut of its face 29 in the form of elongated slots 28.

Although the aforementioned description is limited to the use of a through-bore worm in the soap plodder, it will be appreciated that a through-bore screw may be used instead of a through-bore worm. Also, it should be kept in mind that the compression assembly of this invention substantially improves the efficiency of operation of a standard soap plodding device. In the latter type of soap plodder, the assembly is placed between the shredder wheel and cut-off knife. Although the performance of a through-bore worm or screw in a soap plodder for processing hard working detergent product is generally more efficient than that of a standard worm or screw, the optimum efliciency in processing hard to Work detergents can be obtained by increasing the web depth of the back up plate either by extending the back up plate web upstream, in the direction of the screen, when using a through-bore worm or screw, or downstream, against the cutoif knife, in a standard soap plodding device which utilizes a shredder wheel.

An alternative embodiment of this invention utilizes a modified back up plate, not shown, having a plurality of parallel spaced ribs secured to an annular ring and perpendicularly disposed with respect to the plane of its circular rim. This back up plate allows approximately 75 open area of the screen and considerably reduces the degree of soap back-up pressure.

A further improvement of the performance of a double barrel soap plodder results when the overall length of the nozzle, not shown, attached to the off or discharge end of the lower barrel is limited to a length equal to the diameter of the barrel bore. Plodders utilizing conventional nozzles operate under excessive stress caused by the long swaging line of the nozzle. The swage line of a nozzle is the hypothetical overall length of the high shear line inside the nozzle from a point on the large entry bore surface to the center of the small discharge bore, disregarding the contour of the nozzle. Generally, it may be said that the longer the nozzle length, the greater the shearing thrust required. The degree of shortening of the nozzle length will depend upon the quality of the extrusion desired. Indicative of the improved performance is the fact that there is a 15% to 20% reduction in drive ampere loading when the shortened nozzle is used on a plodder extruding three-week old detergent laundry bar scrap cuttings.

I claim:

1. A compression assembly for a soap plodder including a housing, rotating means in said housing for levigating and homogenizing a mass of soap, said rotating means including a shank having flights and end flight means disposed thereon, said compression assembly being located adjacent said end flight means for permitting uniform plasticizing of said soap, said compression assembly comprising a first compression plate means having a plurality of bores extending therethrough for partially plasticizing said soap, perforate means located adjacent said first compression plate means and closely spaced thereto for forcing said partially plasticized soap therethrough, said perforate means including a circular metal rim having a circular screen rigidly mounted therein, and second compression plate means having elongated slots therein and located adjacent said perforate means and closely spaced thereto for preventing blockage of said perforate means by accumulated soap during processing of said soap under pressure from said rotating means.

2. A compression assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first compression plate means includes a plurality of said bores evenly spaced therethrough in a circular pattern concentric with the center of said first compression plate means.

3. A compression assembly for a soap plodder including a housing, rotating means in said housing for levigating and homogenizing a mass of soap, said rotating means including a shank having flights and end flights means disposed thereon, said compression assembly being located adjacent said end flight means for permitting uniform plasticizing of said soap, said compression assembly comprising a first compression plate means having a plurality of bores extending therethrough for partially plasticizing said soap, perforate means located adjacent said first compression plate means and closely spaced thereto for forcing said partially plasticized soap therethrough, and second compression plate means having elongated slots therein and located adjacent said perforate means and closely spaced thereto for preventing blockage of said perforate means by accumulated soap during processing of said soap under pressure from said rotating means, said end flight means on said rotating means being in abutting and wiping contact with the entire surface of said first compression plate means for forcing soap through said compression assembly means.

4. A compression assembly according to claim 3, wherein said shank rotatably extends through said compression plate assembly.

5. A compression assembly according to claim 4 including knife means on said shank and rotatable therewith, said knife means being located adjacent said second compression plate means for shearing soap passing through said second compression plate means.

6. A soap plodder comprising a fixed housing, rotating means in said housing for levigating and homogenizing a mass of soap, compression assembly means being mounted in said housing for uniformly plasticizing said soap, said rotating means comprising a shank having flights and end flight means disposed thereon, said shank extending through said compression assembly means, said compression assembly means including a first compression plate means having a plurality of bores extending therethrou h for partially lasticizing said soap, perforate means located adjacent said first compression means and closely spaced thereto for forcing said partially plasticized soap therethrough, said perforate means including a circular metal rim having a circular screen rigidly mounted therein, and second compression plate means having elongated slots therein and located adjacent said perforate means and closely spaced thereto for preventing blockage of said perforate means by accumulated soap during processing of said soap under pressure from said rotating means.

7. A soap plodder comprising a fixed housing, rotating means in said housing for levigating and homogenizing a mass of soap, compression assembly means being mounted in said housing for uniformly plasticizing said soap, said rotating means comprising a shank having flights and end flight means disposed thereon, said shank extending through said compression assembly means, said compresion assembly means including a first compression plate means having'Eva plurality of bores extending therethrough for partially plasticizing said soap, perforate means located adjacent said first compression means and closely spaced thereto for forcing said partially plasticized soap therethrough, and second compression plate means having elongated slots therein and located adjacent said perforate means and closely spaced thereto for preventing blockage of said perforate means by accumulated soap during processing of said soap under pressure from said rotating means, said end flight means being in abutting and wiping contact with the entire surface of said first compression plate means for forcing soap through said compression assembly means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,494,891 1/-950 Marshall 25--8X 2,593,198 4/1952 Rutherford, Jr. 18-12(B)X 2,661,497 12/1953 Birmingham 18-12(B) 3,018,807 1/1962 Clinefelter 1812(B)X WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 18l2 

